Folding bed



(No Model.)

M. K. ENGLISH.

FOLDING BBD.

Patented Jun@ 14, 1892.

Noi 476,876.

E[harten STATES` PATENT @Frictia MATTHEV K. NGLSH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.`

FOLDING BED..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. $176,876, dated June 14, 1892. Application filed September 21, 1891. Serial No. 406,299. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW K. ENGLISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Co-` lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Beds. of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to the improvement ofl folding beds; and the objects of my invention; are to provide aspring-support or counter`` balance for a bed of this class of superior construction andarrangement; to produce said spring counter-balance in a simple, neat, and inexpensive form; to provide improved means for regulating the tension of said springs, and` to produce other improvements which will be more specifically pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a vertical section of my improved bed, taken on line z ,e of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a rear face view of the same, showing for the sake of clearness the mattress and mattress-springs removed from the background. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line o: w of Fig. l and enlarged therefrom,and Fig. Ll is a detail sectional View taken on dotted line y of Fig. 2.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a represents the outer casing of my improved folding bed, which, as shown in the drawings, is provided with a central permanent partition I), which serves to separate said casing into a front and rear compartment b b2. The front compartment b is preferably arranged and constructed to form a wardrobe, having, as shown in the drawings, one or more suitable shelves b3 in the upper portion thereof and one or more d rawer-ways and drawers b4 b5 in the lower portion thereof. This forward compartment is also provided with suitable doors c.

d represents a bed-frame, of which d are the side pieces, d2 the foot-piece, and d3 the slats, which extend transversely between the side pieces d.

e represents a transverse leg piece or board which extends between the bed-frame side pieces d and which, as shown, is hinged to a cross-piece e', which extends between said side pieces d and abuts against the foot-piece cl2 of the frame. This hinged leg-board is, as shown in the drawings, provided at each end thereof with a projecting leg c2.4

f-represents a cross-piece,which corresponds with the cross-piece cand which connects the inner sides of the side frame-pieces d at the head of the frame. Upon these cross-pieces e' andf are secured the ends of a suitable mattress-spring g. lnterposed between the slats d3 and the mattress-springs are suitable coiled springs g2. The bed thus formed is normallysup ported in a vertical position within the compartment b2 in the manner hereinafter described.

The inner side of each of the vertical side pieces of the casing a is provided at a point in the lower portion thereof with an inwardlyprojecting socket-piece e', which consists, as shown, of an attaching-plate, from the center of which projects inwardly a channeled or grooved stem i2, as shown. In the grooves or channels of these socket-piece stems are journaled the central outwardly-projecting journal-pins of plates i4, which are secured to the outer surfaces of the bed-frame sides at points opposite the socket-pieces 'L'. By this means the bed-frame is afforded a journalsupport in the outer casing. Projecting inwardly from each of the bed-frame sides d', at points opposite the plates 4, is a bolt 5, the head of said bolt being preferably countersunk within the outer face of the frame-piece d', as shown. Upon that portion of the bolt 5 which projectsinwardly from the bed-frame side is supported, as shown in the drawings, a tubular sleeve 6. Between the outer end of this sleeve and the bed-frame side piece d is interposed a disk or washer 7 of greater diameter than the sleeve, while a corresponding disk or washer s is mounted against the inner end of the sleeve, where it is held by pressure of a suitable nut 7c upon the screwthreaded inner end of said bolt. Upon each of the sleeves or spools thus formed and between the projecting portions of the disks d" is is coiled or wound the central portion of a suitable spring wire or rod 7c. As shown in the drawings, one of the uncoiled portions of the Wire is extended upward or outward from one end of the spool and has its end portion secured by a suitable staple or otherwise as shown at 7a2, to the outer or under side of one ot' the slats cl3. The remaining uncoiled portion of the Wire 7o extends, as shown in the drawings, from the spool or sleeve i to a point in rear ot the bottom cross-piece a7 of the casing d. At this point said wire arm is connected With the inner end of an adjustingbolt m, the latter extending approximately at right'angles with said wire arm and passing outward through a suitable bolt-opening in the cross-piece a7. On the outer threaded end portion of this bolt m is mounted a tightening-nut m', which normally abuts, as shown, against the outer face of the cross-piece di.

From the construction shown and described' it will be seen that in lowering my improved bed from its easing both the upper and lower spring-arms ot the springs 7c are submitted to such strain by being partially taken up by the sleeve as to impart an increased tension to said springs. Owing to the natural tendency of the springs to resume their normal position and the consequent pressure of said springs upon the under side of the bed-frame, it will readily be seen that in lifting the bed to its vertical position the operator will be greatly assisted by the pressure of said springs,

the latter serving to counterbalance or compensate in a measure for the weight of the bed.

From the construction shown and described it is obvious that the means employed for counterbalancing and supporting the Weight of the bed are exceedingly simple and inexpensive and that the same may be produced at a reasonable cost of manufacture.

By turning the nut m inward or outward itis evident that the tension of the springwire 7u maybe increased or decreased by thus increasing or decreasing the outward strain on the same.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a folding bed, the combination, with the casing a, having a cross-piece a", and a bedframe provided with slats d3, journaled within said casing, of spools or sleeves i6, supported, as described, 4from the inner sides of said bed-frame, spring-wires 7c', coiled about said spools, ad justing-bolt m, passing through said cross-piece a7, and a nut on the outer projecting end et said bolt, one end of each of the z springs 7o being secured to one of the bedslats and the remaining end thereof secured to the inner end of one of said'adjustable bolts, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

MATTI-IEV K. ENGLISH.

In presence of BARTON GRIFFITH, C. C. SHEPHERD. 

